2 Timothy 1:1, 2 says,...
Today's verses are 2 Timothy 1:1, 2 which read,
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is the second letter written by Paul to Timothy. It is also Paul's last letter before his martyrdom around A.D. 67. Paul is back in jail and it is very different from the first time about 5 or 6 years earlier.
Some of the differences between this imprisonment and the last is the first was brought on by accusations from the Jews and this one is generated by Nero's persecutions of the Christians. The first had decent living conditions with a house arrest but this one was a cold, dark dungeon. The first one, his friends could visit him but this one he is alone with Luke, the doctor, attending him. The first one had more freedom of the message of Christ reaching out but this one was very restrictive to Paul's ability to communicate about the Savior. The first one was optimistic of a release and freedom but this one had the anticipation of an execution.
This is a desperation letter to Timothy to come if possible. Paul has some last instruction for Timothy before he goes onto glory and leaves this part of the ministry of Christ into his hands. We don't know if Timothy made it to Rome before Paul's execution but this letter remains as his last words to him and the church.
With any last words, they can be very important and also very telling to what is most urgent on the mind of the one giving them. Paul is pouring out to Timothy what he wants Timothy to know and to be encouraged in before his life is poured out. These instructions are very applicable to us today as we read along this final letter of Paul to his beloved spiritual son of the faith Timothy from a cold, dark dungeon cell in Rome under the persecution of Nero to the Christians.
Even though Paul is in this dark dungeon cell; even though he is out of circulation as he was before; and even though it looks like a dreary physical end to his life, he still addresses himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. His calling by God for the purposes of the witness of Christ Jesus is not something that can be taken away by the Roman government or by the four walls of this dungeon cell. He continues to see God's purpose and plan wherever he is at and his continuing on even if it is just to get out this one letter and constant prayers for the churches of Asia Minor. He didn't give up on the faith or retire from his calling because of his physical circumstances.
He prays for Timothy again as he has prayed before and for other individuals and churches to have the grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. God's grace through the cross of Christ; God's mercy of receiving what we don't deserve; and God's peace to fulfilled promises and promises from God to be fulfilled. These three, grace, mercy, and peace, also come from Jesus who is the Christ, the Messiah, and our Lord, Master of our lives and of the world.
We will leave it at that this morning as we prepare to hear the last words of Paul who was radically transformed by Christ from being opposed to Him and persecuting His followers to being a follower of Christ and receiving numerous persecutions for His name. Paul, the one who struck out on missionary journeys to places that had not heard of Christ and established new churches, new bodies of believers, in those regions eventually calling out Jesus as their risen Lord. Paul, who mentored so many others who came to Christ to come alongside of him in the ministry of the spread of this gospel to the ends of the world as the Great Commission says. This man is giving his last instructions through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to Timothy, his spiritual son, and to us who are reading along. Let's pray.
"Lord, we are carried along by the events of Paul's life from his conversion on the road to Damascus to now the end of his life in a cold, dark dungeon cell in Rome. He was called by You and is still called by You. He is not giving up or retiring when it comes to Your hold on his life. Guide us through this final letter to Timothy and illuminate through Your Spirit understanding that will instruct and strengthen our faith to be faithful to the end to the One who was faithful to His end for us. Amen."
Pastor Adam
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is the second letter written by Paul to Timothy. It is also Paul's last letter before his martyrdom around A.D. 67. Paul is back in jail and it is very different from the first time about 5 or 6 years earlier.
Some of the differences between this imprisonment and the last is the first was brought on by accusations from the Jews and this one is generated by Nero's persecutions of the Christians. The first had decent living conditions with a house arrest but this one was a cold, dark dungeon. The first one, his friends could visit him but this one he is alone with Luke, the doctor, attending him. The first one had more freedom of the message of Christ reaching out but this one was very restrictive to Paul's ability to communicate about the Savior. The first one was optimistic of a release and freedom but this one had the anticipation of an execution.
This is a desperation letter to Timothy to come if possible. Paul has some last instruction for Timothy before he goes onto glory and leaves this part of the ministry of Christ into his hands. We don't know if Timothy made it to Rome before Paul's execution but this letter remains as his last words to him and the church.
With any last words, they can be very important and also very telling to what is most urgent on the mind of the one giving them. Paul is pouring out to Timothy what he wants Timothy to know and to be encouraged in before his life is poured out. These instructions are very applicable to us today as we read along this final letter of Paul to his beloved spiritual son of the faith Timothy from a cold, dark dungeon cell in Rome under the persecution of Nero to the Christians.
Even though Paul is in this dark dungeon cell; even though he is out of circulation as he was before; and even though it looks like a dreary physical end to his life, he still addresses himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. His calling by God for the purposes of the witness of Christ Jesus is not something that can be taken away by the Roman government or by the four walls of this dungeon cell. He continues to see God's purpose and plan wherever he is at and his continuing on even if it is just to get out this one letter and constant prayers for the churches of Asia Minor. He didn't give up on the faith or retire from his calling because of his physical circumstances.
He prays for Timothy again as he has prayed before and for other individuals and churches to have the grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. God's grace through the cross of Christ; God's mercy of receiving what we don't deserve; and God's peace to fulfilled promises and promises from God to be fulfilled. These three, grace, mercy, and peace, also come from Jesus who is the Christ, the Messiah, and our Lord, Master of our lives and of the world.
We will leave it at that this morning as we prepare to hear the last words of Paul who was radically transformed by Christ from being opposed to Him and persecuting His followers to being a follower of Christ and receiving numerous persecutions for His name. Paul, the one who struck out on missionary journeys to places that had not heard of Christ and established new churches, new bodies of believers, in those regions eventually calling out Jesus as their risen Lord. Paul, who mentored so many others who came to Christ to come alongside of him in the ministry of the spread of this gospel to the ends of the world as the Great Commission says. This man is giving his last instructions through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to Timothy, his spiritual son, and to us who are reading along. Let's pray.
"Lord, we are carried along by the events of Paul's life from his conversion on the road to Damascus to now the end of his life in a cold, dark dungeon cell in Rome. He was called by You and is still called by You. He is not giving up or retiring when it comes to Your hold on his life. Guide us through this final letter to Timothy and illuminate through Your Spirit understanding that will instruct and strengthen our faith to be faithful to the end to the One who was faithful to His end for us. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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